Arts & Literature

What's it like to work in the biggest hit Broadway has seen in years? In this delightful book based on his almost daily notes, Jeffry Denman tells the story of a year in one performer's life, from his job in the final days of i Cats /i (now and forever, but finally closed) to a small but promising p... More

Eric Gill is perhaps the greatest English artist-craftsman of the twentieth century. His most celebrated achievements were sculptures in stone and wood ("Prospero and Ariel" on Broadcasting House; the "Stations of the Cross" in Westminster Cathedral). Malcolm Yorke reassesses this cranky, eccentric ... More

"Is Jazz Dead?" examines the state of jazz in America at the turn of the 21st century. In a recent 10-part documentary on Public Television, Ken Burns spent 8 out of 10 programs on jazz before World War II; only the last 2 shows covered five decades of creative work. Musicians themselves are returni... More

Translated for the first time into English, these diaries offer unique insight into Rilke's development as one of the greatest poets and prose stylists of the 20th century. Photos.In April 1898 Rainer Maria Rilke, not yet twenty-three, began a diary of his Florence visit. It was to record, in the fo... More

"An excellent book based on exhaustive research and written with fresh insight. It is a spellbinding accomplishment and brings both the man and his era to life. . . . It is an extraordinary achievement." -Arizona Daily Star "Carter presents this astounding tale in a very balanced fashion, providing ... More

For over seven centuries, Dante and his masterpiece, "The Divine Comedy," have held a special place in Western culture. The poem is at once a vivid journey through hell to heaven, a poignant love story, and a picture of humanity's relationship to God. It is so richly imaginative that a first reading... More

Drawing on dozens of interviews and voluminous public records, Pegg paints a complete picture of this complicated figure. This biography uncovers the real Berry and provides a stirring, unvarnished portrait of both the man and the artist.... More

This major new monograph on the internationally renowned artists Gilbert & George provides a fascinating insight into their lives and work.Since first meeting in the St Martin's School of Art in 1967 while studying sculpture, the two artists have become inseparable, living and working together in th... More

This intimate memoir of the tempestuous marriage between Jan Gabrial, a young, aspiring American writer, and British novelist Malcolm Lowry takes us through the highs and lows of this passionate, troubled relationship. Lowry began writing his best-known work, "Under the Volcano," during their marria... More

An innovative, beautifully written analysis of Mary Shelley's life and works which draws on unpublished archival material as well as "Frankenstein" and examines her relationship with her husband and other key personalities.An innovative, beautifully written analysis of Mary Shelley's life and works ... More

There are only a few legendary singers who have developed mass audiences while pursuing their own artistic visions: Sinatra is one; Ella Fitzgerald another. Ray Charles undoubtedly belongs in this pantheon of major musical stars."Ray Charles: Man and Music" begins with Charles's impoverished childho... More

This Companion gives a comprehensive view of the German composer Johannes Brahms (1833-97). Twelve chapters by leading scholars and musicians provide systematic coverage of the composer's life and works. Their essays represent the latest research and reflect changing attitudes toward a composer whos... More

Malcolm Cowley Hart Crane's life was notoriously turbulent, persistently nonconformist, and tragically short. This new biography presents for the first time a full, frank portrait of the real Hart Crane, a poet attractive both for his flamboyance and passion for life, and for the magnificent sonorit... More

Key dimensions of Thomas Mann's writing and life are explored in this collection of specially commissioned essays. In addition to introductory chapters on all the main works of fiction and the essays and diaries, there are four chapters examining Mann's oeuvre in relation to major themes. A final ch... More

Polanski is well known; the name of the director of "Knife in the Water," "Rosemary's Baby," "Chinatown "and "The Pianist" is recognised and respected internationally. Yet even film critics find it difficult to say what a 'Polanski film' is. This welcome book unravels the meanings of Polanski's film... More

"The African Diaspora" presents musical case studies from various regions of the African Diaspora, including Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe, that engage with broader interdisciplinary discussions about race, gender, politics, nationalism, and music."The African Diaspora" presents m... More